1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the storage of caps used to close off the outlet of water spigots and the like. More specifically, it relates to a storage hub for use in proximity to a spigot for storing such a cap when not in use.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Spigots or faucets (the two terms are used interchangeably herein) are common fixtures in most residences as well as commercial and industrial establishments. These faucets typically include a body connected to a source of liquid such as water, a valve within the body, a valve handle to turn the spigot on or off and to control the rate of flow, and an outlet. Most outlets, particularly those used on the exterior of residences are provided with male threads so that they can be attached to garden hoses and the like.
Leaky faucets are a perpetual problem for homeowners and others. Slow drips and leaks, due to a failure to completely shut off the flow of liquid, and the normal wearing out of washers commonly used in the valve of the spigots, result in the dissipation and waste of the liquid and the attendant costs associated therewith. One temporary solution is to thread a cap onto the threaded end of the spigot to contain further leakage. Also, the valve handle can be inadvertently turned on, possibly with disastrous results. During the use of the spigot, the cap must of necessity be removed from the outlet. However, once it is removed, there is an increased likelihood that the cap will become lost, damaged or misplaced.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient and easy to use storage hub for an outlet cap. Another object is the provision of a very inexpensive and effective means for minimizing the possibility of losing such a cap once it is removed from the outlet of the spigot.
These and other objects and advantages which will be readily appreciated are achieved in the manner to be hereinafter described in detail.
The present invention relates to a hub used to store a spigot cap. The hub comprises a generally U-shaped body having a base and a generally cylindrical wall provided with external threads. The hub includes means for securing the hub to a surface in proximity to a spigot. The body of the hub typically is made of a moldable or machineable polymeric or elastomeric material with the threads molded into the outer surface of the cylindrical wall. The body can also be made from a suitable metal with the threads cast or machined into the external surface to receive the outlet cap.
In one embodiment the base includes an axially extending hole for securing the hub to a mounting surface using a suitable fastener. The hole may be internally threaded for engaging a threaded stub at the end of the valve stem. In another embodiment, the hole is not threaded, but instead receives a bolt through the body of the hub for threadedly engaging a valve stem whereby the hub is secured to the handle of a spigot. If the hub is to be mounted onto a surface such as a wall next to the spigot, a screw, nail or rivet can be used to secure it in place. Another option is for an axially extending threaded fastener to be molded or embedded in the external surface of the hub base. The hub may then be screwed into a structural surface in proximity to the spigot. Alternatively, the stub can be threaded into a tapped hole in the top of the valve stem. Other alternatives are to magnetically secure the hub onto the top of the metal valve stem and handle, or to use an adhesive such as an epoxy or a methacrylate to anchor the hub to the valve handle or to the surface of an adjoining structure such as the side of a house or other building.
The invention also relates to a spigot for discharge of a fluid, the spigot including a handle, a valve stem and an outlet equipped with a cap. The spigot also includes a hub that serves to store a spigot cap. The hub comprises a generally U-shaped body having a base, a generally cylindrical wall with external threads to receive the spigot cap, and a fastener for securing the hub to a surface of the spigot. The hub may be secured to the spigot handle or the valve stem using an attaching means such as an adhesive, a threaded valve stem, or a magnet attracted to a ferromagnetic material embedded in the plastic body of the hub, or to the hub itself if the hub is made from a magnetically attractable metal. The body of the hub can be made of a moldable or machineable polymeric or elastomeric material with the cap-receiving threads disposed along the external surface of the cylindrical wall. The fastener can be a threaded fastener embedded in the base of the polymeric hub. A further alternative is for the hub and the valve handle to be molded, cast or machined from a singular piece of polymer, elastomer or metal to form a unitary part.
The invention further relates to a method of safeguarding a spigot cap provided with female threads, when the cap is removed from the threaded end of a spigot. The method comprises: a) providing a storage hub for the cap, said hub having male threads corresponding to the female threads on the cap; b) mounting the storage hub within easy reach of the spigot; and c) threading the cap onto the hub when the cap is not in use. The storage hub can be mounted onto the stem of the valve or the valve handle. Alternatively, the storage hub may be mounted onto a wall of a structure in proximity to the spigot.